University of Akron's new facility in Lakewood: Whatever happened to ...?

View full sizeThe Plain DealerThe University of Akron is establishing itself in Lakewood with programs at the high school and more for the community.

"Whatever happened to . . .?" is a weekly series updating some of the most newsworthy and interesting local stories covered in The Plain Dealer. Have a suggestion on a story we should update? Send it to John C. Kuehner.

"We're doing really well," said Suzanne Metelko, director of the Lakewood Higher Education Center, located on the first floor of the Bailey Building at Warren Road and Detroit Avenue. "It is very gratifying."

The university announced in April, 2011 that it would lease 11,000 square feet and initially offer education and nursing courses. Classes did not get fully underway until this summer, she said.

This fall more than 40 classes are offered, according to its web site, including general introductory courses in several fields.

Metelko said in the nine months she has been at the helm she has been building the programs, developing partners and creating a marketing plan, which just got under way.

Besides bachelor of science nursing degree for students who have an associate degree in nursing, it plans to focus on small businesses and new business owners, she said. It offers a bachelors of organizational supervision, aimed at people with two years of college who need a bachelor's degree to advance. It also started a Masters of Business Administration program on Saturdays, she said.

And following requests it will offer a full social work program including bachelors and masters degrees, she said.

Metelko said she has reached out to city, community and non-profit organizations and many meet in the university's rooms.

And it began a dual enrollment program with Lakewood High School. A university adjunct professor, who is also a teacher at the school, teaches Spanish, which can be taken for high school or college credit, she said.

Its biggest challenge is that when people initially hear "University of Akron" many assume the classes are in that city, she said.

But it has great visibility in the heart of Lakewood, near bus lines and retail, she said.

"We have a lot of impulse buyers, who see us, walk in and talk about programs," she said.

Metelko said in many ways the new center is new business.

"I am a start-up and the first of what we hope to be many satellites that are profit centers," she said.